10 Days of Action: Countdown to Commitments
June 17th - Take action on climate change!
The time is now for climate justice! The clock is ticking, making it more important than ever to make the connections between climate change, development, poverty, global governance, and the financial and economic crisis. The Global Campaign for Climate Action, an alliance of civil society organizations calling for ambitious, fair and binding climate change agreements, is tracking the time up until the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen on December 7, 2009. The clock at www.tcktcktck.org shows 171 days left as of today to seal the deal on climate justice. More immediately, the results of the UN Conference on the Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development taking place next week in New York may give some indication as to the outcome of the Copenhagen meeting. There is a sense that a positive outcome in New York may improve the chances of a positive outcome at the Copenhagen meeting. Similarly, an outcome in New York which secures limited funding for mitigation and adaptation, among other areas, may bode ill for the outcome in December.
“If the planet were a bank, it would have already received a bail-out,” said Bert Maerten, Global Campaign for Climate Change Lead of Oxfam International. “Funding to help poor countries adapt to a changing climate has been promised by developed country leaders, but it has largely failed to materialize. These politicians found the determination and $8 trillion to bail out banks; they must now deliver the immediate financing which is needed to help the most vulnerable developing countries adapt to a changing climate.”
“Climate change offers humanity no second chances! At a very minimum, $150bn in public investment will be required each year to facilitate the necessary mitigation and adaptation action in developing countries,” Bert added. Oxfam is part of the TckTckTck Campaign, a campaign jointly initiated by leading organizations working on climate around the world for a unified voice against climate change.
Civil society has been a vital force in the fight against climate change and for sustainable development. Most recently at the Bonn negotiations of the UNFCCC, women’s organizations were active on the ground advocating for Governments to secure a place for gender considerations in the UNFCCC agreement. Last week at a consultation organized by UNDP, civil society partners highlighted the importance of transforming global governance. According to UNDP, “Climate change and the current global economic crisis bring an unprecedented opportunity to transform global governance, which must start giving priority to human development and citizen engagement.” Moreover, civil society representatives emphasized the importance of human rights and a rights-based approach to development, as well as presenting a strong message of support for an inclusive multilateral discussion about the global financial and economic crisis at the UN Conference next week in New York. To view comments by civil society representatives, click on the link below.
Take action:
Sign up to send a message to world leaders on climate justice at the tcktcktck campaign website: www.tcktcktck.org
“We call on our leaders to go to Copenhagen and sign a global climate deal that is ambitious, fair, and binding.”
“tcktcktck is a global movement for a unified voice against climate change. The combined efforts of millions of people, including you, and our member organizations will deliver a clear message that we demand meaningful leadership and action against climate change.”
Get informed:
Citizens must engage and respond to new global crises
Check it out:
See photos and videos of the consultation including John Cavanagh, from the Institute for Policy Studies; Kumi Naidoo, from the Global Call to Action Against Poverty; Gigi Francisco, from the Development Alternative with Women for a New Era (DAWN ) and Roberto Bissio, Coordinator of Social Watch International.
